


Flames

by nazangel



Series: Whumptober 2020 [14]
Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Bruce Wayne is a Good Parent, Damian isn't doing so good, Fire, Gen, Hurt Damian Wayne, Hurt/Comfort, Self-Harm, Whumptober 2020, but only a few lines
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-20
Updated: 2020-10-20
Packaged: 2021-03-08 17:48:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 573
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27120656
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nazangel/pseuds/nazangel
Summary: Damian has been acting a little off for the past few days. However, Bruce isn't ready for the latest scene.
Relationships: Bruce Wayne & Damian Wayne
Series: Whumptober 2020 [14]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1950730
Comments: 6
Kudos: 150
Collections: Whumptober 2020





	Flames

Damian had been acting a little odd for the past few days, maybe even weeks. Bruce could pinpoint when it had started but somewhere in the past weeks, he had noticed that his son was quieter, less energetic and seemed to be lost in his own head.

Bruce had looked over his cases, talked to his siblings, tried to find anything that could have triggered the melancholy behaviour but had found nothing. He had tried to talk to him, but Damian kept shutting him down.

Bruce was going to keep trying though, the quietness of the teenager was getting to be strange.

Even now, Damian was sitting in front of the fireplace, empty sketchbook in his lap, just staring into the fire. Usually, he would be talking or sketching, even if it was just the flames in the place. Now there was nothing.

Bruce sighed and put his documents away, pulling out an old copy of _Lord of the Flies._ Damian had read it for his book club with Jason and Barbara and had enjoyed it immensely, asking Bruce to read it for him multiple times. Bruce was glad to di it. Damian was almost an adult now and the support he needed from his father was becoming less and less. However, his son enjoyed it when Bruce read to him, making it one of their bonding activities that had carried over into the boy's teenhood.

Bruce straightened up and was bout to suggest that he read to Damian. However, as soon as his eyes landed on his son, he let out a shout and vaulted over his desk.

Damian had stuck his hand in the fire.

Not a little, not for a moment bur completely. His whole right hand was in the burning fire and he was holding it in there with no indication of taking it away. Bruce kneeled down and pulled the hand away.

"Damian, What are you doing?" he asked hurriedly

Damian merely looked up at him with glassy and unfocused eyes.

His hand wasn't burnt as it had probably been in there for about a few seconds but the hair on his hand was signed and his skin was becoming an odd pink colour, almost like sunburn.

Keeping an eye on the boy, he grabbed a water pitcher and a towel from his desk bringing it over and wrapping his son's hand in it. He then fired off a text to Alfred, asking for a first aid kit.

"Damian," he murmured, putting an arm around the still boy, "Why did you do that?"

Damian's body gave a shudder and he slumped into his father.

"I-I-" his voice came out weak and soft, "I don't know, Baba,"

Bruce wanted to cry. He didn't know what was happening to his son and it made him feel helpless.

But that wasn't what Damian needed right now.

"We'll figure it out," murmured Bruce

"I'm sorry," said Damian, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I'm becoming a problem. I don't know what's wrong with me. I'm sorry,"

Bruce instantly pulled his son into his arms, and this time he let his tears flow.

"No, baby," he told Damian, "You are not a problem. You are my child. I love you and we will figure this out, okay?"

"Okay, Baba," said Damian

Bruce held him tighter, wishing he would make everything go away with just a hug.

Unfortunately, he knew the world didn't work like that.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you guys enjoyed! Comments and Kudos are appreciated
> 
> Also, if anyone is having issues with self-harm please seek out help. There is a great app called 'calm-harm' that I use myself that can be used for self-help.


End file.
